Duplex gravity gate-latch.



No. 879,408. PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908.

G. W. OWENS.

' DUPLEX GRAVITY GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

CHRISTOPHER W. OWENS, OF LAKE CITY, IOWA.

DUPLEX GRAVITY GATE-LATCH.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed SeptemberQ. 1907. Serial No. 391.911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. OWENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake City, in the county of Calhoun and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Duplex Gravity Gate-Latch, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide an automatic latch for a gate that swings in reverse ways relative to fixed posts and that will lock and retain the gate stationary when it is in alinement with the posts in such a manner that it can not be unlatched and opened by animals or persons lifting or pushing the gate.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of a latch holder, two latches and latch lifting devices with a fixed post and a gate carrying a roller as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a latch holder specially adapted for pivotally connecting therewith two gravitating latches. Fig. 2 shows the latch holder enlarged and two latches pivoted thereto. Fig. 3 shows the invention applied to a fixed post as re quired for practical use. Fig. 4 shows the free end portion of a swinging gate fastened to a post by means of the latching device as required for securely locking the gate.

The numeral 10 designates the closed back, 12 the upwardly curved bottom, 13 the top that has an opening at its center and 14 a downwardly projecting flange at the outer edge of the horizontal top of the latch holder that is preferably cast in a mold complete in one piece and provided with bolt holes a for pivoting latches thereto and nail. holes I) for fastening it to a post by means of nails.

Fig. 2 shows V-shaped gravitating latches 15 pivoted to the-latch holder with bolts 0 that extend through the bolt holes a. In their normal position their pointed ends rest upon the curved bottom of the latch holder.

Fig. 3 shows the upper end portion of a post to which my invention is applied as required for practical use. Rings 16 are connected with the free ends of the latches 15 and chains 17 extend up from the wings and are attached to a ring 18 to which is fixed a wire 19 that terminates at its top with a ring 20.

In Fig. 4 the free end portion of a gate is shown that can swing to the right or left of a fixed post 21 and to the upright 22 of the gate is fixed a bolt 23 that has a roller 24 on its outer end that will engage one of the latches 15 whenever the gate is swung into alinement with the post from the right or the left. When the roller comes in contact with one of the latches it lifts it, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and passes towards the mating latch that prevents it from passing.

And when the bolt 23 carrying the roller 24 is between the two latches 15 the gate is practically locked' so that it cannot be opened by cattle pressing against it or hogs trying to lift and the only way the gate can be unlocked is by lifting the latches by means of the wire 19 that has a ring 20 at its top that can be seized by hand or by means of placing the end of an umbrella or stick in the ring 20.

Having thus set forth the purposes of my invention, its construction, application and manner of use, its practical operationand utility is obvious.

What I claim as new and desire by Letters-Patent, is

1. A duplex gate latch comprising a latch support having a straight back, anupwardly curved bottom extending forward from the to secure lower edge of the back, a top extending forward from the back and provided with a central opening and a flange projecting downward from the front edge of the top, two V-shaped latches, chains connected with thefree ends of the latches and a rod connected with the chains, for lifting the latches, to operate as set forth.

2. A duplex gate latch comprising a latch support having a straight back, an upwardly curved bottom extending forward from the lower edge of the back, a top extending forward from the back and provided with a central opening and a flange projecting .downward from the front edge of the top,

two V-shaped latches, chains connected with the free ends of the latches and a rod connected with the chains for lifting the latches, in combination with a fixed post and a hinged gate carrying a roller, arranged and combined to operate as set forth.

CHRISTOPHER W. OWENS. Witnesses:

E. W. TOWNSEND, ARTHUREBRUOE. 

